50+ Nature Play & Learning Ideas
Looking for nature play ideas for Earth Day, your nature playgroup or kindergarten, summer camp or even your own family? Look no further as below I have collated 50+ nature play and learning ideas across a range of learning areas – everything from literacy and mathematics to sensory and free play.
The Importance of Time in Nature
Time in nature is important for a child’s sense of connection, both to the natural world and to their own developing sense of self. Time spent playing and learning in nature can help a child to develop resilience, confidence, imagination, curiosity, sensory skills and physical understanding of one’s own body and its limitations.
50+ Nature Play & Learning Ideas
Taking hands-on, open ended opportunities for learning outdoors is a wonderful way to enhance a child’s time in nature. Here are some simple ways to get started.
Nature Play & Literacy Learning
10 Outdoor Literacy Activities: 10 great ideas for taking literacy learning outdoors with children ages 5 to 10 years.
Tips for Using Nature Journals with Beginning Writers: Keeping a nature journal is an engaging way for young children to develop early writing skills. Use this collection of tips for using nature journals with beginning writers to encourage your preschool, kindergarten or first grade students to get writing.
Best Field Guides for Kids: Our pick of the best field guides for kids and tips for using nature guides to make reading fun.
Make a Tin Can Telephone: Did you ever make a tin can telephone as a child? Taking turns with a friend to share very important messages. Fascinated with how you could possibly hear those secret messages traveling down a simple length of string!
35 Earth Day Picture Books: A great big list of the best Earth Day picture books for kids – includes fiction and non-fiction titles.
21 Scientist Biographies for Kids – Nature Scientists: A great big list of fabulous picture book scientist biographies for kids celebrating a diverse range of famous nature scientists.
Stories to Inspire Nature Play – Fort Building: A collection of books that are perfect for inspiring or extending fort building play – inside and out.
Science in Nature Ideas
DIY Mini Microscope: This simple DIY microscope project is perfect for examining all of the teeny tiny living things you find outdoors.
How to Make an Air Rocket: Learn how to make your very own DIY stomp rocket!
How to Make a Worm Farm: This eco-friendly DIY project is super simple and perfect for introducing children to the superpowers of worms!
Bubble Blower Experiment: Blowing bubbles is a fabulous outdoor activity and this fun experiment will engage children with finding the perfect bubble blower from a range of household objects.
Outdoor Rainbow Scavenger Hunt: This Rainbow Outdoor Scavenger Hunt is simple to prepare and super versatile – easily adapted for a range of outdoor environments.
Planning a Playful Garden: Suggestions for what plants to choose for creating a playful garden for children to explore.
How to Make a Compost Bin: Tips for getting started with composting with children.
Build a Bird Bath: Create a simple bird bath for the garden from a terracotta pot.
Math Learning Ideas in Nature
Nature Counting Picture Game: A fun idea for taking math outdoors, this Nature Counting Picture Game is great for working on counting or assessing counting ability.
Hands On Number Game: Buried Treasure: A fun, hands-on number game, revise counting, numeral recognition and simple addition whilst digging for buried treasure!
Making Treasure Hunt Soup: A fun challenge for preschool aged nature lovers.
Creative Nature Play: Making Art Outdoors
10 Easy Ideas for Making Art Outdoors: 10 fun and simple ideas for making art outdoors with children.
Crayon Resist Leaf Rubbing: A wonderful exploration of crayon rubbing and watercolor resist techniques.
Flower Fairies Collage: Natural materials are combined with drawing to create these lovely colorful collages.
Bubble Blower Painting: POP! There is something just so magical about bubbles, especially when they make beautiful artworks!
Rock Painting Ideas – Emoji Rocks: A fun rock painting idea for kids.
Lavender Scented Softies: Instructions for stitching a sweet lavender scented softie with children.
20 Ways to Make Art Outdoors: More fun ideas for making art outdoors with children of all ages.
Creating with Recycled Materials
Recycled Bottle Koinobori: A very cool recycled interpretation of a Japanese koinobori wind sock.
Paper Mache Pots: A great first project for trying paper mache.
DIY Sewing Cards from Recycled Lids: Make a set of reusable sewing cards from recycled takeaway lids.
Paper Roll Wreath: A modern twist on a Christmas wreath made entirely from recycled cardboard tubes.
DIY Milk Jug Catcher: Make your own milk jug catcher and have a laugh trying each of the three game ideas.
Threading Mobiles: Take a scavenger hunt and make wonderfully sparkly mobiles from all manner of found materials.
Nature Based Sensory Play
10 Fun Ways to Extend Water Play: Here are 10 simple water play ideas that are sure to extend playtime next time the kids are ready to splish and splash!
10 Super Sandpit Play Ideas: 10 super sandpit play ideas for toddlers, preschool and kindergarten.
Water Play for Babies: Simple tips for starting out with water play for babies.
15 Mud Play Ideas: Fifteen ideas for mud play that kids will love!
Homemade Lemon & Rosemary Playdough Recipe: An all natural homemade playdough recipe that smells SO good!
5 Senses Nature Scavenger Hunt: A nature scavenger hunt with a fun twist – it encourages children to use each of their five senses to find the treasures on their hunt.
Ideas for Outdoor Play Spaces
How to Make a Fairy Garden: A cute fairy garden play space that will fit into just about any outdoor space.
Creating a Mud Garden in a Small Space: Mud play can happen just about anywhere with this teensy tiny mud garden idea.
7 Tips for Creating an Outdoor Space Kids Will Adore: Tips for creating an outdoor play area kids will fall in love with.
Making Space for Outdoor Play When Space is Tight: Do your kids plan in an urban setting, or in a not-so-natural-feeling space or smallish backyard? Then these tips for outdoor play in small spaces is perfect for you!
Building a Backyard Sandpit: Want to add a sand box to your outdoor play space? Here are some cool ideas to get you started!
Nature Play without Limits
101 Ways to Play Outdoors Poster: 101 simple ideas for outdoor play presented in a handy printable.
20 Ways to Play with Sticks: 20 super ways to play, create and explore with one of the oldest toys in the world – the humble stick!
35 Fun Things to Do at the Beach: There are plenty of fun things to do at the beach – most of which don’t require much more than your imagination and a willingness to get a little wet and sandy!
Nature Based Play Ideas for Active Kids: Fun ideas for getting into nature when children are full of energy!
15 Old Fashioned Outdoor Games: These are the games that have been enjoyed by generations of families.
6 Ways to Play with a Hula Hoop: Add a hula hoop to outdoor time and try one of these game ideas.
7 Best Open-ended Outdoor Toys: These simple open-ended outdoor toys encourage kids to use their imagination. Some of them would not even really be considered toys, more un-toys!
Family Fun: Geocaching: Geocaching is a huge global treasure hunt that is great for getting older kids outdoor – get started with this handy guide.
Tips for Nature Play In Bad Weather
Outdoor Play Ideas For When It’s Raining or Dark: These quick and easy outdoor play ideas are ideal for any weather, especially those times when it’s wet or dark.
Getting Outside When It’s Cold: Even plain old cold weather can make time in nature feel hard. These tips for managing outdoor play when it’s cold will help you to make more of your time outside when it’s chilly.
More Nature Learning Ideas
We hope you love our nature play activity ideas. If you are looking for even more nature inspired activities be sure to check out these related posts;
